Allegations of “blackmail” from the United States are casting a shadow over next month’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) vote on shipping emissions cuts, as Washington faces growing criticism from member states over its tactics to weaken the decarbonisation deal.
While the US has officially confirmed it is preparing tariffs, visa restrictions, and port levies against supporters of the framework, insiders state that the pressure has escalated into outright threats, with some officials describing it as an attack on state sovereignty.
Economic threats confirmed
A State Department spokesperson told Reuters the US was “actively exploring and preparing to act on remedies including tariffs, visa restrictions, and port levies” aimed at countries backing the proposed emissions framework.
According to sources cited by Seatrade Maritime News, the pressure has been felt most strongly amongst African member states, who are said to be growing weary of Washington’s tactics, which have included threats of tariffs and cuts to US Agency for International Development (USAID) funding.
Officials from the Netherlands were also reportedly warned of consequences should they support the deal, with insiders suggesting the threats were part of a wider effort to derail the agreement that has been painstakingly negotiated over the past decade.
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Private tensions grow
Despite the mounting pressure, many officials remain cautious about speaking out publicly.
“Member states are being careful not to wave a red flag in front of the bull,” said one senior figure involved in IMO debates, warning that momentum could be lost if countries buckle under pressure.
Some sources have even suggested that the issue has moved beyond shipping.
“It could mean the sustained sovereignty of some sovereign states may be at risk… Essentially the debate is no longer about shipping and the IMO,” an insider said in a report, highlighting the fact that the US had verbally threatened Panama and Greenland.
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Accusations of blackmail
Outwardly, officials described Washington’s actions as “blackmail”, but few have spoken out openly for fear of retaliation.
The stakes are also high given the IMO’s voting rules.
Any deal requires not just a two-thirds majority amongst the 108 member states that have ratified MARPOL Annex VI, but also support from countries representing more than 50 per cent of the global tonnage.
That gives disproportionate influence to a handful of registries.
Panama, Liberia, the Marshall Islands, and Hong Kong, together, control nearly half of the world’s tonnage, making them decisive to the outcome.
Sources told Seatrade Maritime News that it is unclear whether or not the US has directly threatened these registries, but their weight in the IMO system leaves them highly exposed to strong-arm lobbying.
If the US succeeds in swaying some or all of these flags, it could block adoption despite broad support elsewhere.
And should China and Hong Kong seek to tip the balance while Liberia, Panama, and the Marshall Islands align with Washington, attention may shift to smaller registries such as Malta and Cyprus, whose tonnage, while modest, could still prove critical.
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Ian Trinidad 
Newsjustnews writers 
Shameeka Voyiya